Television watching is often an activity that some will use in order to get away from the stresses of their daily life, using it as an excuse to sit down and relax. When TV watching is done in a group setting this dynamic changes. It becomes a social situation.
Often when watching TV as a group, people will talk through important plot points, paying attention to their friends instead of the story. Many times, the plot of the show being watched will launch a story from one of the viewers that will distract the rest of the group. When people watch TV they commonly discuss the show, as well as other things and eat. I find that I am more inclined to eat while watching TV in a group setting rather than alone.
I notice that people are more inclined to talk to their television when in a social setting; because they want their friends to know what they are thinking about the show they are watching.
Occasionally people’s actions are influenced by what they watch. During a lighter scene, people are more apt to get up, move around, and chat. During a darker scene, people are usually glued to their seats in anticipation of the drama that will come out of their show.
Depending on the group watching, the talk one hears among the viewers can vary. During a drama, people often ask each other about the plot and what they think might happen. They take this much more seriously than they would a comedy. Comedies cause people to launch into their own hilarious tales, as well as make comments about what is happening on TV.
Usually, most of the talk relates to television in one way or another. Whether the show inspires a conversation to arise or it directly relates to the plot of the show, the show still inspires the conversation because it is a common ground that everyone is thinking about.
When watching television in a group setting, the pressure is off the people to keep each other entertained. They can focus on the TV, and speak if they feel like it. The presence of a TV often relaxes a social situation. It is something that the people have in common. They are both watching the same thing. It can even be a bonding experience. I would not say that TV negatively impacts social situations, but it does change them.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Feeling Hyped
The media reaches many different audiences around the world. With such a great audience, I suppose it is nearly impossible to make sure that no one is offended. Particularly in advertising, where people are perpetually stereotyped in order to reach a certain audience, it is especially difficult not to offend certain people.
One particular encounter with the media that I found offensive was commercial that Burger King recently released that mocks women’s apparent affinity towards tiny things. I find it offensive because I feel that it mocks the intelligence of women, saying that they will simply love any item in miniature. There are many other ads that are equally offensive, but this ad strikes a chord with me.
If I had to name the feeling watching this commercial gives me, I would have to call it insulting. It provokes me every time I see it, forcing me to nearly always change the channel when it comes on. I would hate to think that men would be so stupid as to think that buying things in miniature would bring them flocks of women.
The feeling of being ridiculed for my gender is particularly offensive. Even if some women do find miniature food adorable, why would they all fawn over it? Even more so, I feel that this commercial suggests that women aren’t equal to men, and that women can easily be tricked into talking to men.
The way that this commercial offends me shows that I hate it when people doubt someone’s intelligence based on their sex, and I do not like the way that makes women seem like objects to be toyed with.
I think that ultimately what disturbed me was the commercials ability to make women feel small. It may just be a commercial for Burger King, but it still portrays women in a negative light. This showed me the importance of respecting the customer. I’m sure that just as many women eat at Burger King as men do, but what is the women’s incentive for eating there? Burger King should recognize that women are a group that should be respected, not objectified.
One particular encounter with the media that I found offensive was commercial that Burger King recently released that mocks women’s apparent affinity towards tiny things. I find it offensive because I feel that it mocks the intelligence of women, saying that they will simply love any item in miniature. There are many other ads that are equally offensive, but this ad strikes a chord with me.
If I had to name the feeling watching this commercial gives me, I would have to call it insulting. It provokes me every time I see it, forcing me to nearly always change the channel when it comes on. I would hate to think that men would be so stupid as to think that buying things in miniature would bring them flocks of women.
The feeling of being ridiculed for my gender is particularly offensive. Even if some women do find miniature food adorable, why would they all fawn over it? Even more so, I feel that this commercial suggests that women aren’t equal to men, and that women can easily be tricked into talking to men.
The way that this commercial offends me shows that I hate it when people doubt someone’s intelligence based on their sex, and I do not like the way that makes women seem like objects to be toyed with.
I think that ultimately what disturbed me was the commercials ability to make women feel small. It may just be a commercial for Burger King, but it still portrays women in a negative light. This showed me the importance of respecting the customer. I’m sure that just as many women eat at Burger King as men do, but what is the women’s incentive for eating there? Burger King should recognize that women are a group that should be respected, not objectified.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Discovering Politics
Politics in the United States greatly influence the lives of its citizens. The media is very significant to the way that citizens experience politics. Without it, most citizens would have no idea what is going on in politics from day to day.
My earliest memory in regards to politics was during the 1996 Clinton-Dole elections. I was in second grade. I remember that my friends had very different feelings than my family, and I felt very conflicted, considering this was an election I had absolutely no control over. Looking back on it now, my friends’ arguments for one candidate were not very logical and sounded made up.
I had absolutely no media influence in concerns to this election, probably because I didn’t watch the news and wouldn’t read a book that didn’t have pictures. As soon as the election was over, my thoughts on the election ceased to matter, and did not encourage any interest in politics.
Now that I am older and actually have a say in who the next president is, I feel more inclined to follow politics and form opinions on political matters. I feel more of a responsibility to make myself aware of politics, rather than pure interest.
One moment that affected the way I thought about politics would have to be the Lewinsky Clinton scandal. It made me realize that the pedestal that politicians, especially presidents, are placed upon does not make them infallible. It was the first time that I had witnessed a major political screw up. The media’s coverage of this scandal only amplified this in my mind and made it seem even worse.
When reading about politics I typically scan the article in order to see the most important information. I still find it difficult to maintain an interest in politics, but I feel obligated to be aware of my political surroundings.
Barack Obama is a political figure I respond strongly to. His presence and promises of change inspire me to believe in this country.
Occasionally I find it difficult to take politics easily when they are displayed in the media. It seems as if the media turns political events into a soap-opera like plotline in order to entertain readers, when it should be reported on objectively because it will affect readers’ lives.
I feel that certain television shows encourage this entertainment via politics. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart uses comedy and politics to entertain its viewers. While this show is quite enjoyable, it does mock important events in politics.
Sometimes I feel that I do not want to involve myself in politics. It is not something I particularly enjoy and I feel an obligation to follow it. However, it is my responsibility to make myself aware of politics through the media.
My earliest memory in regards to politics was during the 1996 Clinton-Dole elections. I was in second grade. I remember that my friends had very different feelings than my family, and I felt very conflicted, considering this was an election I had absolutely no control over. Looking back on it now, my friends’ arguments for one candidate were not very logical and sounded made up.
I had absolutely no media influence in concerns to this election, probably because I didn’t watch the news and wouldn’t read a book that didn’t have pictures. As soon as the election was over, my thoughts on the election ceased to matter, and did not encourage any interest in politics.
Now that I am older and actually have a say in who the next president is, I feel more inclined to follow politics and form opinions on political matters. I feel more of a responsibility to make myself aware of politics, rather than pure interest.
One moment that affected the way I thought about politics would have to be the Lewinsky Clinton scandal. It made me realize that the pedestal that politicians, especially presidents, are placed upon does not make them infallible. It was the first time that I had witnessed a major political screw up. The media’s coverage of this scandal only amplified this in my mind and made it seem even worse.
When reading about politics I typically scan the article in order to see the most important information. I still find it difficult to maintain an interest in politics, but I feel obligated to be aware of my political surroundings.
Barack Obama is a political figure I respond strongly to. His presence and promises of change inspire me to believe in this country.
Occasionally I find it difficult to take politics easily when they are displayed in the media. It seems as if the media turns political events into a soap-opera like plotline in order to entertain readers, when it should be reported on objectively because it will affect readers’ lives.
I feel that certain television shows encourage this entertainment via politics. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart uses comedy and politics to entertain its viewers. While this show is quite enjoyable, it does mock important events in politics.
Sometimes I feel that I do not want to involve myself in politics. It is not something I particularly enjoy and I feel an obligation to follow it. However, it is my responsibility to make myself aware of politics through the media.
Seeing Gender
To define what exactly it means to be a certain gender according to the media is difficult to pinpoint. The media changes so much that it could be telling people that being a certain gender could mean a million different things. However, I think certain media sources have a fairly stereotypical version of what they think being a woman is today.
Looking at magazines like Cosmopolitan, Elle and Glamour, which are all targeted towards women of the same general age, it is fairly certain that they have a specific version of what they think being a woman means. This can be seen in the articles and advertisements they choose to run in their magazines.
These magazines run articles that pertain to beauty, sex and fashion more than any other type of content they run. These magazines also make an effort to make women aware of the issues that plague people today, but primarily these magazines do not serve that purpose.
It isn’t completely unreasonable for these magazines to run so many of these articles because people do enjoy them and find them interesting, but many of these magazines portray aspects of beauty, fashion and sex to an exaggerated degree. It seems as though these topics should be the most important subjects that women should be focused on, when in real life this is not the case.
Some of the values associated with these magazines are positive. It is good to take care of yourself and feel positive about how you act and look. However, when these values are dependent on the response of the opposite sex, they become unhealthy.
It is easy to see that these texts are directly aimed at females. They use female models, show feminine clothing, advertise towards females and have articles that only pertain to being female.
I do not feel particularly offended by this because usually I do not bother to think about it, but upon reflection, it seems as though these magazines limit what a woman should be by focusing only on these things.
These magazines are all about self improvement. They focus on looking better, flirting better, and overall becoming a better woman for the sake of men. It makes the reader see having a man as validation of their hard work on themselves. They ask the reader to look at themselves and try to improve their faults. This is not necessarily bad, but when coupled with the wrong reasons, it becomes negative to their self esteem.
I have been reading magazines like this for years, and frankly, I never really bothered to look at what they were saying about the female population. It has influenced how I feel about my appearance and myself in general. It has influenced how I feel that I woman should be, but not to an unreasonable extent. It has placed expectations on women that are not really fair. However, if people examine this media more closely, they will understand that they do not necessarily have to live up to their expectations.
Looking at magazines like Cosmopolitan, Elle and Glamour, which are all targeted towards women of the same general age, it is fairly certain that they have a specific version of what they think being a woman means. This can be seen in the articles and advertisements they choose to run in their magazines.
These magazines run articles that pertain to beauty, sex and fashion more than any other type of content they run. These magazines also make an effort to make women aware of the issues that plague people today, but primarily these magazines do not serve that purpose.
It isn’t completely unreasonable for these magazines to run so many of these articles because people do enjoy them and find them interesting, but many of these magazines portray aspects of beauty, fashion and sex to an exaggerated degree. It seems as though these topics should be the most important subjects that women should be focused on, when in real life this is not the case.
Some of the values associated with these magazines are positive. It is good to take care of yourself and feel positive about how you act and look. However, when these values are dependent on the response of the opposite sex, they become unhealthy.
It is easy to see that these texts are directly aimed at females. They use female models, show feminine clothing, advertise towards females and have articles that only pertain to being female.
I do not feel particularly offended by this because usually I do not bother to think about it, but upon reflection, it seems as though these magazines limit what a woman should be by focusing only on these things.
These magazines are all about self improvement. They focus on looking better, flirting better, and overall becoming a better woman for the sake of men. It makes the reader see having a man as validation of their hard work on themselves. They ask the reader to look at themselves and try to improve their faults. This is not necessarily bad, but when coupled with the wrong reasons, it becomes negative to their self esteem.
I have been reading magazines like this for years, and frankly, I never really bothered to look at what they were saying about the female population. It has influenced how I feel about my appearance and myself in general. It has influenced how I feel that I woman should be, but not to an unreasonable extent. It has placed expectations on women that are not really fair. However, if people examine this media more closely, they will understand that they do not necessarily have to live up to their expectations.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Forming a Style
When considering the way that I dress, it is very difficult to narrow my style down to one specific genre of clothing. I’ve noticed that I go through cycles in how I dress. This cycle usually begins at the beginning of a semester of school. It starts with me caring about my appearance. I take the time to pick out shirts and pants that go together and make sure my shoes and purse match.
This begins to go downhill as soon as the first sign of stress concerning school appears. Gradually, I start to think about my outfits less and less, often opting to throw on t-shirts and jeans. Eventually, I find myself in a jeans and t-shirt rut, which is very difficult to get out of. I also find that my clothing often reflects my self esteem about my appearance. When I start to feel stressed about school, I usually comfort myself through food (I like to eat my feelings), and eventually this causes me to gain weight, which effects how I feel about my appearance. I then try to hide in my clothes.
I feel that the clothes I have been wearing recently probably tell people that I don’t care about my appearance. My clothing tells very little about my personality because I haven’t been dressing myself in a style that I particularly like. My current style probably communicates that I have been feeling stressed, making me lazy in my style choices.
Even when I am dressing myself in a way that I like, it is still almost always casual. I’m not really one for dressing up. There are so many styles that I always want to try out, but I still find myself drawn to casual clothing. I wish that I liked to wear skirts and dresses more. I even made that a goal for myself over the summer; but more skirts. I tend to feel less comfortable in dresses because I never feel like they look “right” on me, but I like them so much on other people that it makes me want to wear them.
I often find myself flipping through magazines and admiring the styles of others. I actually follow fashion quite thoroughly, but you wouldn’t really know it from the way that I dress. It seems that I never want to take the effort to dress the way that models are dressed, and I never seem to want to take the fashion risks it must take to dress the way they do.
I feel that although people want to be seen as individuals in fashion, people still care about what others think about their appearance and are too afraid to dress completely out of style. Style is a way of expressing one’s self, but not too much. People use fashion to communicate a message of how they want to be perceived, and usually, they want this style to be admired, not questioned.
This begins to go downhill as soon as the first sign of stress concerning school appears. Gradually, I start to think about my outfits less and less, often opting to throw on t-shirts and jeans. Eventually, I find myself in a jeans and t-shirt rut, which is very difficult to get out of. I also find that my clothing often reflects my self esteem about my appearance. When I start to feel stressed about school, I usually comfort myself through food (I like to eat my feelings), and eventually this causes me to gain weight, which effects how I feel about my appearance. I then try to hide in my clothes.
I feel that the clothes I have been wearing recently probably tell people that I don’t care about my appearance. My clothing tells very little about my personality because I haven’t been dressing myself in a style that I particularly like. My current style probably communicates that I have been feeling stressed, making me lazy in my style choices.
Even when I am dressing myself in a way that I like, it is still almost always casual. I’m not really one for dressing up. There are so many styles that I always want to try out, but I still find myself drawn to casual clothing. I wish that I liked to wear skirts and dresses more. I even made that a goal for myself over the summer; but more skirts. I tend to feel less comfortable in dresses because I never feel like they look “right” on me, but I like them so much on other people that it makes me want to wear them.
I often find myself flipping through magazines and admiring the styles of others. I actually follow fashion quite thoroughly, but you wouldn’t really know it from the way that I dress. It seems that I never want to take the effort to dress the way that models are dressed, and I never seem to want to take the fashion risks it must take to dress the way they do.
I feel that although people want to be seen as individuals in fashion, people still care about what others think about their appearance and are too afraid to dress completely out of style. Style is a way of expressing one’s self, but not too much. People use fashion to communicate a message of how they want to be perceived, and usually, they want this style to be admired, not questioned.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Interpreting Technologies
It’s interesting to see the dependence that humans have developed on new technologies today. When thinking about the people before us, I often wonder how different it was to grow up without the technologies we hold dear today. They don’t seem to feel deprived of anything, yet when I think about life without my computer, I can’t help but think about how much it contributes to my life.
Recently I went through an experience with my computer that I found particularly traumatic, although looking at it now, I severely overreacted. Spyware masking itself as anti-spyware infiltrated my computer, giving it viruses. I had a panic attack, and then promptly took my laptop to the technicians at Flagler. Through the entire experience, I felt like I was taking my child to the hospital, asking the "doctor" what I could do, pestering them non-stop (I went in to check on it four times- I was annoying, and I regret it now). It turns out, the program’s the technician gave me worked, and now my computer is virus free...as far as I know (rumors about the Conficker virus are scaring me half to death).
This experience reminded me how much I value my computer and use it on a day to day basis. I check my e-mail multiple times a day, use it for school research, typing documents, as well as catching up with friends from home. It gives me information I would probably never be aware of without it because it is so easy and always available to access.
I value this piece of technology because of what it does for me. It links me to the farthest places of the world. Thanks to the portability of my laptop, I can access this information from almost any part of the world. My laptop changes the way that I look at information because it is always quick and easy to access. I feel no sense of urgency when I watch the news on TV because I know that I can look up anything that I am curious about later on my computer.
The computer has changed how I feel about doing things individually. For the most part, multitasking is what I do. I watch TV while listening to music (I’m aware of how stupid that sounds, but to explain, I mute the TV, then listen to the music on my computer, while surfing the internet. I don’t really know why.), and doing things one at a time can often drive me crazy. Looking at this technology has made me realize that I even multitask on this one device.
The things I get from my device are not things that I couldn’t get from other sources. I could write papers by hand, I could look at the newspaper or watch TV, and I could listen to the radio for music. However, computers link all of these activities together, making it possible to do them in one place, which I really appreciate.
Recently I went through an experience with my computer that I found particularly traumatic, although looking at it now, I severely overreacted. Spyware masking itself as anti-spyware infiltrated my computer, giving it viruses. I had a panic attack, and then promptly took my laptop to the technicians at Flagler. Through the entire experience, I felt like I was taking my child to the hospital, asking the "doctor" what I could do, pestering them non-stop (I went in to check on it four times- I was annoying, and I regret it now). It turns out, the program’s the technician gave me worked, and now my computer is virus free...as far as I know (rumors about the Conficker virus are scaring me half to death).
This experience reminded me how much I value my computer and use it on a day to day basis. I check my e-mail multiple times a day, use it for school research, typing documents, as well as catching up with friends from home. It gives me information I would probably never be aware of without it because it is so easy and always available to access.
I value this piece of technology because of what it does for me. It links me to the farthest places of the world. Thanks to the portability of my laptop, I can access this information from almost any part of the world. My laptop changes the way that I look at information because it is always quick and easy to access. I feel no sense of urgency when I watch the news on TV because I know that I can look up anything that I am curious about later on my computer.
The computer has changed how I feel about doing things individually. For the most part, multitasking is what I do. I watch TV while listening to music (I’m aware of how stupid that sounds, but to explain, I mute the TV, then listen to the music on my computer, while surfing the internet. I don’t really know why.), and doing things one at a time can often drive me crazy. Looking at this technology has made me realize that I even multitask on this one device.
The things I get from my device are not things that I couldn’t get from other sources. I could write papers by hand, I could look at the newspaper or watch TV, and I could listen to the radio for music. However, computers link all of these activities together, making it possible to do them in one place, which I really appreciate.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Reading Places
Every area of the world is bound to communicate in a certain way to the inhabitants of that area. The style, size and specific use of the area influence what the place communicates as well as what kind of information is communicated there.
A college dining hall is place where many people gather at one time in order to eat and catch up with their fellow students. More specifically, the Flagler College dining hall is where many students communicate with their friends and neighbors while eating. While this dining is more lavish and intricate than most other college dining halls, the function is still the same. However, the message that this dining area say to its users could be quite different.
The style of this dining hall communicates a message that makes dining in this area seem more formal than dining in the student center (for example). The lavish decorations on the walls, the formal chairs, and the ornate ceilings all make dining there seem like you should almost be dressing up in order to eat, although no one ever does.
Based on the other people I see in this dining hall, I don’t think that they feel any obligation to act as they would in a restaurant, but the old look of the room gives me that impression.
The hallway that leads to the dining hall also gives it a more closed off feeling, as though it is a secluded part of campus that is only for students. It is also very dark on the inside, making it feel very closed off from the outside.
The communication between the people in the dining seems to be purely social. It’s very loud and is not a place that encourages work. Typically people there converse about their day and their friends. They may discuss some work they have to do, but very rarely would someone try to do work in there.
Overall, despite this not being a very typical dining hall in its style. The function allows it to remain the same for those who eat in it. The formal style doesn’t really influence how people act in it, although it seems like it would. The function of the place rules over what the tone and style of the place are.
A college dining hall is place where many people gather at one time in order to eat and catch up with their fellow students. More specifically, the Flagler College dining hall is where many students communicate with their friends and neighbors while eating. While this dining is more lavish and intricate than most other college dining halls, the function is still the same. However, the message that this dining area say to its users could be quite different.
The style of this dining hall communicates a message that makes dining in this area seem more formal than dining in the student center (for example). The lavish decorations on the walls, the formal chairs, and the ornate ceilings all make dining there seem like you should almost be dressing up in order to eat, although no one ever does.
Based on the other people I see in this dining hall, I don’t think that they feel any obligation to act as they would in a restaurant, but the old look of the room gives me that impression.
The hallway that leads to the dining hall also gives it a more closed off feeling, as though it is a secluded part of campus that is only for students. It is also very dark on the inside, making it feel very closed off from the outside.
The communication between the people in the dining seems to be purely social. It’s very loud and is not a place that encourages work. Typically people there converse about their day and their friends. They may discuss some work they have to do, but very rarely would someone try to do work in there.
Overall, despite this not being a very typical dining hall in its style. The function allows it to remain the same for those who eat in it. The formal style doesn’t really influence how people act in it, although it seems like it would. The function of the place rules over what the tone and style of the place are.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Connecting With Celebrities
If I am being honest, I have been putting writing this blog off for quite some time. Not because I had trouble figuring out a celebrity to write about, but because I have been having trouble coming up with an intelligent reason as to why I follow a celebrity’s career, which I do. It seems that I have just been doing it for so long that I now do it without thinking.
Looking at my long history of celebrity following, it seems that it began with George Clooney. I’ve been following his career ever since his days on ER, which, if you do the math, started when I was about 11 (the shows been on since 1993, but that would mean that I’ve been following him since I was five. Not likely).
To give you an idea of how much I love him, I will give you an example of my adoration. Last Thursday was my 21st birthday, which also happened to coincide with Clooney’s return episode on ER, and I seriously considered staying home to watch it. If it weren’t for online television, I don’t know what I would have done. Try to out-pathetic me there!
When reflecting on my admiration for George Clooney, it is difficult to decipher why I admire him so much. He is obviously a very good looking man; he’s got a lot of charisma and a good sense of humor that comes through in his work and various interviews. He also has a very old-Hollywood way about him. You can just picture him getting along with the likes of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. I feel like his personal style is a throwback to that era, which I find very glamorous and appealing.
I don’t know how real my admiration for George Clooney can be because I’ve been able to know him through two mediums, television and film. While they do tell me what he looks and sounds like, it only presents me his characters and his public persona. They do not indicate what he would be like on a more personal level and in that respect I most definitely do not know him.
I think that my admiration for sarcastic, self depreciating humor like his is what causes me to admire him as much as I do. I admire his quick wit, and I wish I could emulate it (it takes me at least five minutes to come up with a good comeback).
I feel like he is so familiar to me because he has been such a prominent figure in the public eye for a large part of my life. I almost feel like I grew up watching him on TV and in films. At the same time, I realize that he is involved in a completely different world than I am, that is both physically different as well as being a different type of environment. In that way, I feel very distant from him.
The fact that we can feel connected to a public figure both interests and confuses me. While we may never meet them, it is one of the easiest relationships we can have in life. They don’t expect anything from us. They entertain us without us having to entertain them in return. At the same time, the relationship will likely never be personal, but this does not deter us from following their careers. We just have to accept it for what it is and enjoy it.
Looking at my long history of celebrity following, it seems that it began with George Clooney. I’ve been following his career ever since his days on ER, which, if you do the math, started when I was about 11 (the shows been on since 1993, but that would mean that I’ve been following him since I was five. Not likely).
To give you an idea of how much I love him, I will give you an example of my adoration. Last Thursday was my 21st birthday, which also happened to coincide with Clooney’s return episode on ER, and I seriously considered staying home to watch it. If it weren’t for online television, I don’t know what I would have done. Try to out-pathetic me there!
When reflecting on my admiration for George Clooney, it is difficult to decipher why I admire him so much. He is obviously a very good looking man; he’s got a lot of charisma and a good sense of humor that comes through in his work and various interviews. He also has a very old-Hollywood way about him. You can just picture him getting along with the likes of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. I feel like his personal style is a throwback to that era, which I find very glamorous and appealing.
I don’t know how real my admiration for George Clooney can be because I’ve been able to know him through two mediums, television and film. While they do tell me what he looks and sounds like, it only presents me his characters and his public persona. They do not indicate what he would be like on a more personal level and in that respect I most definitely do not know him.
I think that my admiration for sarcastic, self depreciating humor like his is what causes me to admire him as much as I do. I admire his quick wit, and I wish I could emulate it (it takes me at least five minutes to come up with a good comeback).
I feel like he is so familiar to me because he has been such a prominent figure in the public eye for a large part of my life. I almost feel like I grew up watching him on TV and in films. At the same time, I realize that he is involved in a completely different world than I am, that is both physically different as well as being a different type of environment. In that way, I feel very distant from him.
The fact that we can feel connected to a public figure both interests and confuses me. While we may never meet them, it is one of the easiest relationships we can have in life. They don’t expect anything from us. They entertain us without us having to entertain them in return. At the same time, the relationship will likely never be personal, but this does not deter us from following their careers. We just have to accept it for what it is and enjoy it.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Identifying with Music
Looking at my iTunes, it is easy to see that the music I listen to is very conducive to my personality, as is probably anyone else’s. I have music that will just about suit any mood I could possible feel.
I use my music for a variety of purposes. Most frequently I will use it as an escape. It is easy for me to just put on my headphones and listen to my favorite song in order to block out something I don’t want to think about.
I feel that through my music I gain whatever I need from my music at that moment. If I need to calm down, I have music to do that. If I need to psych myself up for something, I have music for that as well. I will never underestimate the mental healing power of music. I believe it is one of the most powerful mood elevators that you don’t need a prescription for.
I don’t have a specific genre of music I like. I only have one specific type that I don’t, which is country. I can’t really explain it, but it really bothers me. I tend to like really calming music that I could practically fall asleep to, but I also have a lot of pop and rock music that tends to energize me. I usually prefer old songs, but then again I have plenty of newer music that I enjoy also. I also have a strong collection of musicals that I can’t help but sing along to every time I hear them.
Despite my love for music, I am almost never find myself becoming a fan of a band. Instead I become a fan of songs. The only band I can truly call myself a fan of is Coldplay. They are the one band that I would go out and buy the new album of without hearing a single track. I think I am drawn to their music because it is very subtle yet powerful. They use unique instruments and beats that I can’t help but be drawn to. I feel like their music is subtle, and doesn’t feel a need to use shock value to draw in listeners, which I admire.
I think I am drawn to this kind of music because its calming nature allows me to reflect on things while I’m listening to it. That doesn’t mean I don’t use it to escape, but I think that sometimes it puts me in a frame of mind that helps me to better understand that aspects of life that frustrate me. My music affects me because it can change my mood so strongly. When I am feeling sad, I almost need Tracy Chapman to commiserate with, or when I am happy, I need to celebrate it with music from Mamma Mia! Overall, I am drawn to the music because I can relate to it, and because it speaks to how I am feeling.
I use my music for a variety of purposes. Most frequently I will use it as an escape. It is easy for me to just put on my headphones and listen to my favorite song in order to block out something I don’t want to think about.
I feel that through my music I gain whatever I need from my music at that moment. If I need to calm down, I have music to do that. If I need to psych myself up for something, I have music for that as well. I will never underestimate the mental healing power of music. I believe it is one of the most powerful mood elevators that you don’t need a prescription for.
I don’t have a specific genre of music I like. I only have one specific type that I don’t, which is country. I can’t really explain it, but it really bothers me. I tend to like really calming music that I could practically fall asleep to, but I also have a lot of pop and rock music that tends to energize me. I usually prefer old songs, but then again I have plenty of newer music that I enjoy also. I also have a strong collection of musicals that I can’t help but sing along to every time I hear them.
Despite my love for music, I am almost never find myself becoming a fan of a band. Instead I become a fan of songs. The only band I can truly call myself a fan of is Coldplay. They are the one band that I would go out and buy the new album of without hearing a single track. I think I am drawn to their music because it is very subtle yet powerful. They use unique instruments and beats that I can’t help but be drawn to. I feel like their music is subtle, and doesn’t feel a need to use shock value to draw in listeners, which I admire.
I think I am drawn to this kind of music because its calming nature allows me to reflect on things while I’m listening to it. That doesn’t mean I don’t use it to escape, but I think that sometimes it puts me in a frame of mind that helps me to better understand that aspects of life that frustrate me. My music affects me because it can change my mood so strongly. When I am feeling sad, I almost need Tracy Chapman to commiserate with, or when I am happy, I need to celebrate it with music from Mamma Mia! Overall, I am drawn to the music because I can relate to it, and because it speaks to how I am feeling.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Escaping
Rarely a day will go by when I don’t use the media as a way to escape from reality. My addiction to the media goes far beyond what is necessary to function in the world. My focus on the media is primarily entertainment and I for one am not ashamed of it.
I think that different aspects of the media provide a great opportunity to escape from the realities of life. I personally use the internet, magazines and television for entertainment purposes. I check websites like people.com daily for the latest news about celebrities. Letting myself get involved in the glamorous lifestyles of the rich and famous makes me forget about my own problems and focus on theirs instead.
I also go to websites like overheardinnewyork.com, where people post the crazy things they have heard people say around New York City that day, which is always good for a laugh. I do the same with gossip and fashion magazines life US weekly and Cosmopolitan. Finally, I let myself become engrossed in the dramas of various television shows, like The Office and Grey’s Anatomy.
I use these mediums primarily to escape from doing things I don’t want to do, like homework or exercising. It’s very easy to put off the work for an hour and let myself get distracted by the media. It’s desirable to escape because it takes the pressure of even thinking about the things that you don’t want to do. You can just pretend your problems don’t exist and relax. Unless the work I am trying to escape from is very worrisome, it is easy for me to escape from my problems this way.
I feel like this form of escapism is probably something I shouldn’t do as much as I do, but I am now to the point where I don’t know how else to relax. Without this release stress would probably eat away at me night and day (I am an avid worrier). I often feel like there are more constructive things I could be doing with my time, but I don’t really see anything wrong with using the media to escape. The only time it truly becomes a problem is when people let themselves waste away in front of the television to the point where it stops them from living their lives. I think that as long as I can complete my work, see my friends and go to class, then my media escape is not unhealthy.
I think that different aspects of the media provide a great opportunity to escape from the realities of life. I personally use the internet, magazines and television for entertainment purposes. I check websites like people.com daily for the latest news about celebrities. Letting myself get involved in the glamorous lifestyles of the rich and famous makes me forget about my own problems and focus on theirs instead.
I also go to websites like overheardinnewyork.com, where people post the crazy things they have heard people say around New York City that day, which is always good for a laugh. I do the same with gossip and fashion magazines life US weekly and Cosmopolitan. Finally, I let myself become engrossed in the dramas of various television shows, like The Office and Grey’s Anatomy.
I use these mediums primarily to escape from doing things I don’t want to do, like homework or exercising. It’s very easy to put off the work for an hour and let myself get distracted by the media. It’s desirable to escape because it takes the pressure of even thinking about the things that you don’t want to do. You can just pretend your problems don’t exist and relax. Unless the work I am trying to escape from is very worrisome, it is easy for me to escape from my problems this way.
I feel like this form of escapism is probably something I shouldn’t do as much as I do, but I am now to the point where I don’t know how else to relax. Without this release stress would probably eat away at me night and day (I am an avid worrier). I often feel like there are more constructive things I could be doing with my time, but I don’t really see anything wrong with using the media to escape. The only time it truly becomes a problem is when people let themselves waste away in front of the television to the point where it stops them from living their lives. I think that as long as I can complete my work, see my friends and go to class, then my media escape is not unhealthy.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Keeping in Touch
When trying to keep in touch with what’s going on in the world, all I can think is Thank God for the internet. The internet is the way that I get all of my basic news, without which I would be lost. I go on the internet typically to look at different news sources to see what’s going on in the world. I like to check out people.com, cnn.com, worstpreviews.com and facebook. These are my most visited sites, but there are many others as well. I like to look at Hollywood and film news, but being a com major, I like to keep in touch with what’s going on in the “real” world as well.
To look at current events, I like to watch television as well, but I most definitely rely on the internet way too much to keep me up to date. I use it not only to keep up with world news, but to keep up with persona news as well. I use Facebook in particular to keep up with friends from home. Without it I would probably never know what is going on with old friends because I am awful about calling people on the phone. The internet also keeps me up with what is going on at school. Thanks to Flagler email, I am kept up to date on classes, school programs and even the Wednesday Morning Coffee Break (although I never actually go, it’s comforting to know that they will always remind me that I can).
Hollywood news is an addiction of mine. I like to see what’s going on with Hollywood on People.com. It’s hard to explain why I actually care, but regardless I always find myself checking it. I also like to read trashy tabloids, but I don’t fool myself into thinking that they are true, so I mostly consider what I find in them to be fiction. To look at what is going on in films, I look at Worstpreviews.com. It keeps me up to date on the films being shot, who’s working with who, and the movie releases I am waiting for.
As a COM major, I also make sure I see what is happening in the other aspects of the world, but admittedly I do so with much less depth. I check CNN.com for general news and often assume that if it doesn’t pop up on the top of the page, it’s probably not that important.
The only aspect of news that I don’t immediately rely on the internet for is family news, which I depend on the phone for. My parents let me know the highlights about what’s happening with my extended family.
I think the fact that I use the internet as my primary source of news shows that I am a product of my era. The internet is the quickest way to find out about the news. The internet is fast, environmentally friendly and full of resources. I enjoy many aspects of using it, and frankly, I can’t imagine getting the bulk of my news any other way.
To look at current events, I like to watch television as well, but I most definitely rely on the internet way too much to keep me up to date. I use it not only to keep up with world news, but to keep up with persona news as well. I use Facebook in particular to keep up with friends from home. Without it I would probably never know what is going on with old friends because I am awful about calling people on the phone. The internet also keeps me up with what is going on at school. Thanks to Flagler email, I am kept up to date on classes, school programs and even the Wednesday Morning Coffee Break (although I never actually go, it’s comforting to know that they will always remind me that I can).
Hollywood news is an addiction of mine. I like to see what’s going on with Hollywood on People.com. It’s hard to explain why I actually care, but regardless I always find myself checking it. I also like to read trashy tabloids, but I don’t fool myself into thinking that they are true, so I mostly consider what I find in them to be fiction. To look at what is going on in films, I look at Worstpreviews.com. It keeps me up to date on the films being shot, who’s working with who, and the movie releases I am waiting for.
As a COM major, I also make sure I see what is happening in the other aspects of the world, but admittedly I do so with much less depth. I check CNN.com for general news and often assume that if it doesn’t pop up on the top of the page, it’s probably not that important.
The only aspect of news that I don’t immediately rely on the internet for is family news, which I depend on the phone for. My parents let me know the highlights about what’s happening with my extended family.
I think the fact that I use the internet as my primary source of news shows that I am a product of my era. The internet is the quickest way to find out about the news. The internet is fast, environmentally friendly and full of resources. I enjoy many aspects of using it, and frankly, I can’t imagine getting the bulk of my news any other way.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Journal Entry #1: A Day in the Life
While looking at my personal media usage, I am not surprised to see that I am constantly surrounding myself with many different mediums of media. During the day even when my main focus is something not media related, I often let myself be distracted with the media. I also use multiple forms of media at one time (as I write this blog, I am also listening to music and periodically checking my email).
While examining my media usage, I noticed that I frequently listen to music, go on the internet, watch television, watch movies and read magazines. Less frequently I noticed that I also read books and newspapers, talk on the phone and write for leisure.
Listening to music is the media that use the most often. It easy to listen to music while going about other non media related tasks like cleaning or doing schoolwork. I personally often use music as a crutch to get through my schoolwork in a more pleasant way. Going on the internet is a habit that I gradually formed during school. In grammar school I was taught that using the internet was going to be an important part of our future, and in doing so, they made it a large part of my future. Soon I was going online at night to talk to my friends. I began to branch out as more of my schoolwork began to involve research on the internet, and now I use it to keep up with life at home through email and Face book, watch TV shows that I had to miss during the week and keep up with the news around the world (I’m usually more focused on the entertainment aspect of the news). I probably use music and the internet the most frequently because they are easy for me to get to and they are the aspects of the media that I enjoy the most thoroughly.
Television and movies are another aspect of the media I heavily concentrate on. I watch TV mostly for entertainment, keeping up with dramas and comedies that I enjoy, but I also use it to keep in touch with the world. TV is a media I can sometimes leave on in the background while I’m doing other tasks. I really enjoy watching movies, both at the theater and at home. In general I prefer watching movies in theaters, because it allows me to completely focus on the film and not give in to the temptation to multitask. It makes viewing the movie an experience, which I enjoy.
Overall I am not surprised by my amount of media usage, because I am a COM major, and that pretty much what we do, but I am surprised to examine the reasons that I use each media. I see now that I don’t use all media just for enjoyment, and that there is good reason to look at the media as frequently as I do. It helps me to stay in touch with what is going on in the world, which is very important given the field I am concentrating my studies in.
While examining my media usage, I noticed that I frequently listen to music, go on the internet, watch television, watch movies and read magazines. Less frequently I noticed that I also read books and newspapers, talk on the phone and write for leisure.
Listening to music is the media that use the most often. It easy to listen to music while going about other non media related tasks like cleaning or doing schoolwork. I personally often use music as a crutch to get through my schoolwork in a more pleasant way. Going on the internet is a habit that I gradually formed during school. In grammar school I was taught that using the internet was going to be an important part of our future, and in doing so, they made it a large part of my future. Soon I was going online at night to talk to my friends. I began to branch out as more of my schoolwork began to involve research on the internet, and now I use it to keep up with life at home through email and Face book, watch TV shows that I had to miss during the week and keep up with the news around the world (I’m usually more focused on the entertainment aspect of the news). I probably use music and the internet the most frequently because they are easy for me to get to and they are the aspects of the media that I enjoy the most thoroughly.
Television and movies are another aspect of the media I heavily concentrate on. I watch TV mostly for entertainment, keeping up with dramas and comedies that I enjoy, but I also use it to keep in touch with the world. TV is a media I can sometimes leave on in the background while I’m doing other tasks. I really enjoy watching movies, both at the theater and at home. In general I prefer watching movies in theaters, because it allows me to completely focus on the film and not give in to the temptation to multitask. It makes viewing the movie an experience, which I enjoy.
Overall I am not surprised by my amount of media usage, because I am a COM major, and that pretty much what we do, but I am surprised to examine the reasons that I use each media. I see now that I don’t use all media just for enjoyment, and that there is good reason to look at the media as frequently as I do. It helps me to stay in touch with what is going on in the world, which is very important given the field I am concentrating my studies in.
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